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English 1002-004

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Essay #2: Analyzing an Advertisement

download this assignment in Word 

Your Writing Task:

Select an advertisement, video or print, that you find interesting, and analyze it closely. Compose a 4-5 page essay in which you explain each of the following: 

·         What is the ad for? What does the ad look like?  

·         Who is the audience for the ad? How do you know? How would you describe them? How would you characterize their interests and desires? What assumptions are the writers of the ad making about the people who make up the audience? 

·         How is the ad designed to appeal to that particular audience? What message(s) do the designers of the ad want to give them? What is the ad “really” saying?  

·         Based on your analysis, what response should the audience have to the ad? 

Who You Are Writing For:

Your audience for this essay is the same group of people the ad you’re writing about is targeting. That means you’ll need to do some careful thinking to figure out exactly whom you’re writing to, and you’ll need to carefully construct your tone and message to appeal to them without alienating them. (We’ll talk more about this in class.) 

Beginning the Process:

The first step, of course, is to find the ad you will be analyzing. Look at lots of magazines and pay attention to the commercials you see on television to find an ad that you find particularly interesting; you won’t be able to write an engaging essay if you aren’t engaged with the ad! (Hint: it might help to pick at ad aimed at a group you’re a part of.) Part of figuring out the audience for the ad will pertain to where the ad is located, so if you’re using a print ad, you will also need to hang onto the magazine you find your ad in, and do some thinking about who the magazine is targeting. If you’re analyzing a commercial, you’ll need to at least figure out one spot it airs on (when and during what show) to discern its target audience. 

Multimedia Component:

*UPDATE*: SEE HERE FOR AN UPDATED GUIDE TO THIS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT.

Characteristics Your Paper Should Have:

As with the first essay, I will be looking for you to communicate some strong critical thinking, so your analysis of the ad will be a significant part of the assessment. In addition, you will need to demonstrate a solid awareness of your audience (it should be clear you know who you’re talking to), clearly articulated and well developed ideas (this means that you make your points with clear, understandable sentences AND that you push each of your points to its fullest conclusion), and careful attention to the specifics of the assignment (namely, to the questions listed above). Lastly, we will pay particular attention to organization for this essay; we’ll discuss strategy in class, but I’ll be looking to see that you’ve made some conscious choices about how best to structure your ideas and how to connect those ideas with strong transitions and guides for your reader. As always, your final essay should demonstrate that you’ve carefully proofread and polished your writing.